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Kim Yu-Na
Kim Yu-Na (born September 5, 1990) is a South Korean figure skater. She is the 2009 Four Continents, 2007 & 2008 World bronze medalist, two-time Grand Prix Final Champion (2006-2007), 2006 World Junior Champion and five-time South Korean National Champion (2001-2005). Kim holds the highest scores for both Short Program and Free Skating programs under the ISU Judging System. And She is the first skater to have received +2.00 ISU Judging System for jumps under the new judging system. Kim is the first South Korean figure skater to: medal at a Junior Grand Prix event, win a Junior Grand Prix event, medal at a Grand Prix event, win a Grand Prix event, win the Grand Prix Final, medal at an ISU Championships, win an ISU Championships, or medal at the World Championships. She is one of the most highly recognized athletes and media figures in South Korea. Kim is currently ranked third in the world. Quotes Personal life Kim Yu-Na was born in 1990 in Bucheon, South Korea and moved to Gunpo when she was 6 years old. In 2006, she moved to Toronto, Canada for training. Kim has been admitted to Korea University, which she believes can best help her to continue her career as a figure skater. She will become a freshman in March, 2009, but she will continue to train in Toronto, Canada for the time being. Career Novice career Kim Yu-Na began skating at the age of 6 at her mother's encouragement. In 2002, she competed internationally for the first time at the Triglav Trophy where she won the novice competition. In 2003, at age 12, she became the youngest lady to win the senior title at the South Korean Figure Skating Championships. She won her second international competition, the novice competition at the Golden Bear of Zagreb in 2003. Junior career 2004–2005 season In the 2004–2005 season, Kim was internationally Junior age eligible. She competed on the ISU Junior Grand Prix, the Junior complement to the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating. She won the silver medal in China and the gold medal in Hungary. She won the silver medal at the Junior Grand Prix Final with an overal score 35.08 points behind the gold medalist, future rival Mao Asada. Kim won the senior national title on her way to the 2005 World Junior Figure Skating Championships. At that competition, Kim won the silver medal, again behind Asada. 2005–2006 season For the 2005–2006 season, the choice was made for Kim Yu-Na to remain on the Junior Grand Prix. She was not old enough to compete at the 2006 Olympics even if South Korea qualified for a spot at the final qualifying competition, the 2005 Karl Schäfer Memorial, and so Kim remained on the Junior Grand Prix. Kim won both her Junior Grand Prix events to qualify for the Junior Grand Prix Final. She won the Junior Grand Prix Final with a score that was 28.34 points ahead of silver medalist Aki Sawada. Kim won her fourth senior national title. At the 2006 World Junior Figure Skating Championships, she competed against the defending champion Mao Asada. Kim won the gold medal with a 24.19 margin of victory. Senior career 2006–2007 season Kim made her senior international debut at 2006 Skate Canada where she won a bronze medal after winning the short program and placing fourth in the free skate.She won the 2006 Trophée Eric Bompard with a score 10.1 points above silver medalist Miki Ando. Her win and bronze medal qualified Kim for the first time for the Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final. At the 2006 Grand Prix Final, held in St. Petersburg, Russia, Kim placed third in the short program and won the long program, to win the title overall, with a margin of victory of 11.68 ahead of silver medalist Mao Asada. Kim originally intended to defend her title at the 2006–2007 South Korean Championships, but was forced to withdraw with injury before the event. In January 2007, Kim was diagnosed with early-stage lumbar disc herniation (L4~L5). Kim was selected to compete at the 2007 World Figure Skating Championships based on her performance from the season so far. Because of the placement of Choi Ji Eun the year before, South Korea had only one spot to the World Championships. In March 2007, at the 2007 World Championships in Tokyo, Kim won the short program, setting the short program world record for the highest score under the ISU Judging System. She placed fourth in the long program and placed third overall. She was 8.31 points behind silver medalist Mao Asada and 5.91 points ahead of fourth place finisher Kimmie Meissner. Kim's performance qualified South Korea two ladies entries for 2008. 2007–2008 season Kim started off the 2007–2008 season winning the 2007 Cup of China with a score that was 24.34 points ahead of silver medalist Caroline Zhang. At the 2007 Cup of Russia, Kim won both the short program and the long program to finish 24.43 points ahead of silver medalist Yukari Nakano. At that competition, Kim set a world record for long program under the ISU Judging System. Kim's two wins qualified her for the 2007–2008 Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final in Turin, Italy, where she went in as the reigning and defending champion. She won the short program and placed second in the long program to win her second Grand Prix Final competition by 5.24 points ahead of Asada. Kim chose not to compete at the 2007–2008 South Korean nationals and withdrew from the 2008 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships a week before the event due to a hip injury. Kim recovered in time to compete at the 2008 World Figure Skating Championships. She was fifth in the short program after she fell on triple lutz jump. She won the long program and placed third overall, winning her second consecutive bronze medal at the World Championships. 2008–2009 season Kim's assignments for the 2008–2009 season are 2008 Skate America and the 2008 Cup of China. At Skate America Kim placed first in the short program with a score of 69.50, separating herself from the rest of the field by a margin of 11.70 points despite having trouble on her double axel. She went on to capture the ladies title by winning the long program as well with a score of 123.95, more than 20 points ahead of silver medalist Yukari Nakano. The success continued at the 2008 Cup of China, where she received a score of 63.64 in the short program and 128.11 in the long program. And She earned a Level 4 on all three of her spins and her spiral sequence. The combined total of 191.75 was nearly 21 points ahead of silver medallist Miki Ando, and guaranteed Kim a place in the ISU Grand Prix Final, where she placed second overall. Most recently, Kim participated in the 2009 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships. She set a new world record of 72.24 points in the short program of the competition with a clean performance. She earned Level 4 on all of her spins and spiral sequences. She scored 116.83 in the free program, keeping the lead and winning her first Four Continents Championship. Kim was the only person whose figure skater had been recognized by the judges in both the short program and the free program in the ladies' competition. Coaching changes In order to prepare for her senior debut in the 2006–2007 season, Kim moved her training venue to the Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club of Toronto, Canada during the summer of 2006. There, she worked with David Wilson (figure skater) and Tom Dickson. Later, Brian Orser became her new full-time coach. Satisfied with the training environment in Toronto, Kim made Toronto her permanent training ground. Skating techniques Kim landed her first triple jump at the age of 10, and she landed all triple jumps except for triple axel just two years later . When Kim was 14 years old, she landed her first triple-triple combination in a competition at the 2005 World Junior Figure Skating Championship. Kim has performed three different figure skater in competitions; the triple lutz-triple toe loop, the triple flip-triple toe loop, and the triple toe loop-triple toe loop. Kim received +2.00 Grade of Execution for her figure skater.. She is also famous for her fast speed on the ice. Signature moves Image:Camel yuna2.jpg| Yu-na spin Image:Camel yuna1.jpg| Yu-na spin side view Image:4Z6G0235-2 fin.jpg| Yu-na spin at the exhibition Image:Kim Yu-Na Ina Bauer - 2006 Skate Canada.jpg|''a Layback Ina Bauer'' This signature move is a difficult Camel spin she uses with a variety of positions. Other signature moves are a Ina Bauer (element) that leads directly into the double axel jump and the double axel-triple toe loop combination jump. Media appearances Sponsorships * Nike * Kookmin Bank (2007.7.10~ ) * Hyundai Motor Company (2008.12.15~ ) CD * Yu-na Kim ~ Fairy On ICE ~ Skating Music (Universal Music, 2008) Choreography long program at the 2008 Skate America]] ' Competitive Short Program' * Danse Macabre (Saint-Saëns) by David Wilson * Die Fledermaus by David Wilson * El Tango de Roxane by Tom Dickson, Kim Se-Yeol * Snowstorm '' by Katarina Dickson ' Competitive Long Program''' * Scheherazade by David Wilson * Miss Saigon by David Wilson * The Lark Ascending by David Wilson * Papa, Can You Hear Me? by Jeffrey Buttle, Jadene S. Fullen * Carmen by Katarina Dickson ' Exhibition' * Gold by David Wilson * Only Hope by David Wilson * Once Upon A Dream by David Wilson * Just a Girl by David Wilson * Reflection by Brian Orser * One Day I'll Fly Away by Chi Hyun-Jung , Kim Yu-Na * Ben (album) by Chi Hyun-Jung , Kim Yu-Na Competitive highlights Senior results Novice & Junior results *N = Novice level Detailed results Senior results Junior results *QP = Qualifying Program References External links *Official website *Queen on Ice